I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You the Sun was a beautifully written, dark tale of a seemingly "normal" family.  Narrated by twins (Jude=girl, Noah=boy), this novel includes the themes of family, conformity, coming-of-age, and the sacrifices people make to LOVE and BE LOVED.  Although the content of this novel was often mature (some swearing, some intimacy), I think students can relate to the pressures of being torn between pleasing one's parents versus pleasing one's self. 

The struture of this novel is unlike any I've read.  I am familiar with the every-other-chapter-by-a-different-character structure, but this didn't really fit that.  Yes, the narratives did jump back and forth between Noah and Jude, but Jude's chapters were always "Jude, age 16" - essentially present tense.  Noah's chapters were past tense, but always moving toward present tense.  For example, "Noah, age 13" then later "Noah, age 13.5."  Although it sounds confusing, I was never confused.  Jude's story was always the the right bookend, while Noah's was the left.  And there was mystery in between.  And conflict.  And ruined relationships.  Not until the last chapter of the novel do all of Noah's conflicts match up with Jude's conflicts to provide the reader with all of the facts. 

The plot is amazing on its own, but the language and images the author creates appeals to my love of the craft of writing.  The setting is oceanside, so there is an abundance of water imagery.  Noah and Jude are also artists, so students who are interested in art might enjoy this novel. 

I'll Give You the Sun is Jandy Nelson's second novel.  It won a ton of awards in 2014 for Young Adult Fiction.  I have purchased her debut novel, The Sky is Everywhere, and I cannot wait to begin reading it. 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I read often, but it has been a while since I've read a book that I couldn't put down.  I ignored all other responsibilities until I completed this novel.  The chapters are usually one to two pages, so reading "just one more chapter" got me through this book quickly.

We Were Liars is a puzzle.  The characters and their relationships are all very simple (mostly), but their haunting secrets kept me hungry page after page.  Cadence and her cousins/friends spend every summer together on a small, private island owned by her grandfather.  His three daugthers (Cadence's mom and two aunts) bring their whole families to Beechwood Island, and they leave the reality of a busy life behind.  But one summer there is an accident.  The author provides just enough clues to make the reader think he or she has it figured out, but BAM! Part Five! All the clues finally come together, and the puzzle is completed.

#twist
#didnotseeitcoming

I would recommend this novel to high school students, but, WARNING! there is some swearing. 

-AO